St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-12-24

arrangement Of some adOrnment. She Wor
homespun gown, fashioned and EN-
broidered by her own def fingers and Dor
about her an air of such sweet and graclou
womanliness that I felt a glow of chlldis
hatred toward Captain Moore, as l noted hi
constant attentions to Miss Allie. But sool
all admittance to the parlOr was denied, an
with breathless expectancy we chlIdrel
waited for the charmed hour to arrive A
3 o'clock, clad in little hOmespun gowns ant
with hair freshly curled, Nanny marShaIe'
us three little ones of the household and
group of neigh bor-children to the parl"r door
All! what tairy-like vision burst upon
our dazzled ewes as the doors were thrown
opcn Shall | ever forget the thrill OF ute
happiness | experienced as | gaZed upon tina
tree? 1t was lit by tiny cans of grease hunE
| from the branches. in each Of winch tloatec
a burning sycamore ball; and was fairly
laden with home-wrought gifts. Captain
Moore had exercised his ingenuity in the
carving of several little jOinted wooden dolls
| with hickory-nut heads, some with hair
made with black wOolly furniture stutting
and faces stained black, which were dressed
a la Dinah, while others had hempen hair
of untwirled rope, and were dressed III sWad-
ding clothes to represent infant dolls.
There were little feather chairs in
every imaginable style, as light, pretty
and fragile as if made for fairy $
throne. here were home made Jumping
jacks of wOndrous agility, stained red and
blue with pokeberry and wild indigo. There
were killed Rob Roys, who, when the first
two fingers Of the right hand were inserted
into their dangling boots, and then set dane
ing, looked for all the world like veritable
bare kneed Highlanders. There were little
barken- back ed wallpaper books, beautifully
illustrated by Mrs. Van Dorm. There were
knit stockings from Nanny, and three little
pairs of bombazne CATERS made for her
three nieces by Aunt Lorraine. And. oh,
JOY! marked For jeanne there was the
lovelest and largest rag-dOll my childish
eyes had ever beheld, the artistic work Of
my dear invalid mother. There were also
chestnuts, chinQuapins, oranges, and candy
made of honey for the little ones. Nor were
the older people forgotten. Capt Moore was
quite laden with the socks, scarts, and vlsors,
knit for him by the ladies, and he also re-
ceived linen handkerchief, made from
some treasured ante-war materials, hem
stitched and embroidered by Aunt Lorraine,
as well as a pair Of embroidered suspenderS
from Miss Allie Tyrrell
Miss Allie and Aunt Lorraine received each
a feather fan. the exquisite workmanship OF
Mrs. Van Dorm, Aunt LOraine's present to
whom was palmetto hat, which she her
self had braided, dyed brown with tan bark
of black walnut and trimmed with bands Of
brown chicken feathers. Captain Moore's
gifts to the ladies were rings carved from
black buttons and inlaid with silver and
pearl, which he had made during the lonely
hours of an imprisonment on Johnson's ISL
and, the silver having been obtainedtrom coin,
and the pearl from mussel shell found on the
beach. But o'clock quickly came and dinner
was announced. During its course we were
again startled by report OF the advance OF
the enemy, but as We had q trustv servant
stationed near the principal road leading to
the village and he had given us no warming,
our fears were soon allayed. At seven quite q
large audience had collected in the front par
lor to witness the amateur entertainment,
which soon began to glide smoothly forward.
While Mrs Van Dorm was playing SOLO
slipped quickly into the hall where, in a cor
ner, Isaw Nanny and Aunt Lorraine standing.
You is to be de bride, Miss Lorraine
Nanny was saying with decision as joined
her; dat po' sick intidel, Miss Fidelia needs
you upsta' rs, an you is to go up dar an stay
as long as you kin, which will be ontwel
de ;orange blossom ack; but | will call